Champion Saga: Gray
by Espy Jay
Summary: Ghetsis has returned to Unova to gain revenge! Cyrus is back and crazier than ever! Join the Champion of Orr Espy, Ash and Friends and possibly Team Rocket! as they travel towards their destiny: In Life, Love, and Pokemon!
1. Returning and Rethinking

**I own nothing. I am simply sharing my love for Pokemon with the reading community. There will be action, romance, and more!**

* * *

"My Lord, we will arrive at the Great Chasm in approximately 30 minutes." A voice crackled over the intercom.

"Excellent… Prepare our men for descent." The man in the shadows replied.

The shadowy figure arose, walking calmly to the edge of the seating area of the aircraft. Robes flowing, the older man took a sip of his wine, and smiled at the unsuspecting citizens in the towns below. "It has been too long, Unova. But your ruler is back, and this time… he will not fail. The man chuckled to himself lightly as the horizons dim light began to reveal the Chasm. As the morning light began to shine, rays slowly fill the darkened area with reddish light. The man smile eerily in the glow, as a soldier enters the room.

"Shall we brief the men now, sire?"

"I shall do it myself. They will be overjoyed to see me, I am sure. It has been almost a year, if I recall…" the strange robed man spoke.

"As you wish, Lord Ghetsis…"

With that, Ghetsis reaches for his cane. Setting down the wine glass, he adjusts his robes. The guard in the room opens a chest, revealing the Crown. Placing it gently on his head, the evil smile on Ghetsis' face grew wider. And as the sun rose over the Chasm, laughter resounded from the aircraft that hovered like a black storm cloud on the horizon…

And so begins the revenge of Lord Ghetsis.

* * *

As the Meowth shaped balloon crashed down into the tree, the trio of Team Rocket members finally stopped screaming.

"I can't stand those twerps! Why does this always happen to me!" Jessie cried out angrily.

"Prolly cuz we can't take a hint!" their talking Meowth groaned.

James, the third member, sat silently. In his hand was a lone bottle cap. He silently turned it in his hand, a somber look on his face. Normally, James would be just as vocal about the most recent failure to capture a certain yellow mouse Pokémon, but the bottle caps presence had silenced him. Meowth was the first to notice the quiet cohort.

"Watcha got there, James? Another bottle cap for da collection?" Meowth asked, brushing off the soot from their latest BLAST OFF. Jessie, still bitching on about her luck, ignored them.

"It's not new." James broke his silence. "This is my first bottle cap I ever collected. When I was little, I used to pretend it was a gym badge. "

James smiled softly as he began to reminisce. "I would parade around my house, telling all the workers I was a Pokémon master!"

Jessie, upon finishing her rant, overheard the mentioning of the word "master".

"James, you wanted to be a Master?" Jessie asked, confused. "I thought you always wanted to be a Rocket! That's why you joined them, isn't it?"

"C'mon Jessie, when you were a kid, didn't you have a dream? You know, something that you pretended to be?" James inquired. Jessie immediately changed her demeanor as her childhood was brought into question.

"I…Well… Why is this even a topic right now?" Jessie fumed, her anger barely masking sadness at thought of childhood dreams. Meowth stood up, all the talk from James revealing a hidden dream.

"Ya kno, ever since I learned to talk, I thought I would make a great MC!" Meowth beamed as he imagined himself dressed in a tuxedo, mic in hand, standing on a stage. The image of him waving to a crowd was soon shattered by the pessimistic Jessie.

"Well, you aren't. And won't be. So far all we are is failures, and the Boss would have our heads if he heard talk like this! Just forget your silly fantasies and help me fix the balloon!" Jessie scowled. She was getting more upset by the second.

"Now why would anybody want to do that?" a mysterious voice spoke out.

* * *

The trio gasped and looked around wildly. "Didja hear that?" Meowth said nervously. The two Rockets nodded, scanning the surrounding area for any sign of the voice.

"Up here."

The Rockets looked up, only to see a tall muscular gentleman sitting on a branch above them. His thin glasses gleamed in the moonlight. He sat up and looked down, with a smile on his chiseled face, marked only by a goatee.

"So, you're part of Team Rocket? You seem to have bigger aspirations than that low life organization. Am I right?" the mystery man grinned.

"How dare you speak about Giovanni in such a manner?" Jessie shrieked. "He took us in when no one else would. Gave us jobs! We wear this R with pride!"

"Is that so? As far as I can tell, he seems to care less about your well being than Death himself. And believe it or not, there are other people who would help take care of you. I know that for a fact."

The stranger leapt off the branch and into the basket. Jessie immediately hopped up, Poke ball in hand. The stranger stood before them, unfazed.

"Jessie, stop." James said softly.

"But, James!"

"Let him talk Jess. I want to hear what he has to say." James nodded to the stranger.

"Well let me cut to the chase. Normally, if I see a criminal, I would need to detain them. But I feel like you guys, no matter what transgressions continually lead to you apparently ending up in a tree, aren't truly evil. I think that if you dig deeper, you would find that you all have a bigger purpose."

Jessie opened her mouth to protest the "truly evil" bit, but the mysterious man continued.

"If you believe me, and want to strive for that bigger purpose, I would be glad to help."

The stranger tossed a small device to Meowth. "That's a GPS with a location I want you to meet me at. Meet in a week there if you want to. If you choose to stay with Team Rocket, I cannot stop you. But if we cross paths again, you will be detained. I'll be sorry to do it, but that is your warning. Hopefully, though, I'll see you soon."

The man slid his fingers through his dark hair and smiled. As he started to climb out of the basket, Jessie (who held her tongue surprisingly well) finally spoke out.

"Who do you think you are, anyway?" she cried out, a cry mixed with raw emotion and slight fear.

"Oh my, I do apologize. My name? It's Espy. I'm the Champion of the Orr region, and an active member of the Champion's Legion. Pleasure meeting your acquaintance!" A broad smile draped across his face as the jaws of the Rockets dropped quickly, each one sweatdropping. Espy jumped out of the balloon and disappeared into the dark forest below.

"He was the…" James was near speechless. Jessie was stunned.

Meowth finally comes to, and looks down at GPS. "It says that he wants us to meet him in Viridian City? Do we go?"

James stood quietly. "Guys, I think we should see what he has to offer. If nothing else, it would be worth the trip…"

Jessie, who was opposed to the talk of Life Before Rockets, cautiously agreed. Maybe if this doesn't pan out, we can steal his Pokémon.

She said nothing else as the group began to fix the balloon for flight. With their sights on Viridian City, the trio of Rockets were about to make a decision. It wouldn't be an easy one, but one they were preparing for… And would shape the destiny of so many, including the one who landed them in the tree…

* * *

**Before you groan, OH NO ITS THE ROCKETS STARRING IN THIS FANFIC... Ash and the gang are in this, along with the Champion and more. Calm yourselves friends...**

**But anyway... The stars of the Pokemon Universe are about to align... but what will become of Team Rocket? Who blasted them off? Who is the mysterious Espy? Find out next time on Champion Saga: Gray!**

**Also, reviews are lovely. :)**


	2. Bonds Rebuilt

**Welcome back, humans. It has been too long. I have had Chapter 2 done for a long while, but never got around to posting it. But, I am now, and that is all that matters? Right?**

* * *

Ash Ketchum sighed as he spotted that all too familiar gleam in the sky, signifying the temporary departure of his longtime foes, Team Rocket. He smiled at Pikachu, who calmed down from the battle stance he was in. Chuu! He declared happily, telling Ash he was happy they were gone again.

"I wonder if they will ever change Pikachu…" Ash exhaled.

Pika pi… Pikachu shrugged and hopped up on the shoulder of his best friend.

Suddenly, Ash noticed the sun was setting. A wave of panic swept over him. "Oh no! We were supposed to meet May at the train station! She is gonna be so mad at us!"

Ash began sprinting toward town, frantically praying that the train got delayed. Ash had matured a lot over the years, but just because he had turned 16, did not mean he was great at time management. His messy hair covered by an old, familiar hat, decked out in a green jacket and gray cargo pants, the slightly taller Ash Ketchum raced like a Rapidash toward the Saffron City train station to meet his old friend.

* * *

At the station, a worried and concerned May watched the sunset. She was really excited to see Ash, and all her friends, yet nobody was there. Had they forgotten? She had even dressed up nice for Ash, hoping he would notice. Her soft hair, no longer covered by a bandana, a tight black shirt, and blue jeans that complimented her body nicely, and so far the only one to see was her baby Cleffa. Cleffa clung to its blanket in her arms, sleeping softly as the lanterns began to flicker on.

Now worry became anger, an old classic for the much more mild mannered May.

"I cannot believe it Cleffa, he was supposed to come walk me to Pallet Town, but he cannot even get that right." Cleffa didn't respond, unless snoring softly counts as a response.

"Somebody must be running late. It isn't normal for a young lady such as you to be left here. It is dangerous without an escort." A mysterious voice spoke out of the darkening street.

May gasped and reached for her Pokeball. The stranger noticed this and chuckled.

"Relax dear, I am not an enemy."

The man stepped from the shadow to reveal a strong looking chiseled man with a goatee. Warily, May removed her hand from her Pokeball very cautiously.

"That's better. Now for introductions. My name is Espy. Pleasure to meet you, May."

"How do you know my name?!" May stammered. She was confused and bewildered. The train trip had wearied the young Coordinator, and she was disoriented to a point that she was beginning to feel this was a dream.

"I overheard it in passing. Do me a favor; don't be mad at Ash for being late. He was caught up by some Rockets. He is on his way, as fast as he can."

"Ash?! Now I know I must be dreaming. How do you know about him?!"

"Don't worry about it. I'll explain all in good time. But in the meantime, here he is now." Espy smiled.

As if on cue, May turns to see Ash, waving and sprinting as fast as he could. May, as confused as she was, smiled softly to see Ash rushing to greet her. She turned around to ask Espy another question, she gasped. He was gone, without a trace._ Now I KNOW I'm dreaming._ She thought to herself.

"May! May! Whoa…" Ash stopped dead in his tracks. Panting heavily, he placed his hands on his knees, trying hard to catch his breath. PIKA PIIIII! Pikachu squealed with delight. He leapt off of his perch on Ash's shoulder and hopped onto May's shoulder, nuzzling her, cooing softly.

"Haha! Hi Pikachu! I've missed you! And I guess I missed you too, Ash." Her voice hardened slightly. She was still upset that he had been so late. But the anger that had been there previously had dissipated a little bit. That mysterious man Espy seemed to quell a bit of it… If he was even real.

"May… I am SO sorry… Team Rocket… Blast off… I'm SO sorry" Ash gasped heavily, having been overcome with excitement and exhaustion.

_Team Rocket… So that Espy guy, he knew?_ May thought to herself, amused at Ash's banter.

"Ash, it's ok. Really! I'm just happy to see you!" May smiled._ Ooh, did I seem too excited? Aw man, he's gonna think I am weird…_ May worried. But before she could try to correct herself, Ash did something very "un-Ashy". He pulled to him, and hugged her closely, not wanting to let go.

"I've missed you May… A whole lot", Ash whispered softly. May, taken by surprise by the show of affection, only managed to squeak out a quick, "Me too, Ash." Pikachu immediately noticed the blushing and the elongated hugging, and immediately tugged Ash's pant leg._ Pii Pi piii_, the electric mouse crooned.

Ash, suddenly aware that he may have been too direct, immediately unlatched the hug, leaving May smiling longingly at him.

"S-s-so… Shall we uh, head to Pallet Town?" Ash stammered, still red from blushing.

"Let's. I am starving for some of Brock and your mom's home cooking!" May laughed, trying to ease the mood.

Ash lent his arm to Pikachu, as he happily hopped up on his shoulder. He then extended the same arm to May. He smiled softly as he looked upon how beautiful she had become since the last encounter. She giggled as she wrapped her arm around his playfully, bowing slightly at the gesture.

_I sure hope this is a good sign_, she thought to herself.

_Wow, I have wanted this for a long time. I sure hope I don't screw this up_, Ash prayed.

From the top of the bus station, the mysterious Espy looked down and smiled at the sight of the two friends walking home. His smile turned to a stern look as he noticed a caravan of lights on the horizon. Quickly, his demeanor changed, and he fished a headset out of his bag. Clipping it to his ear, he spoke softly into the piece.

"The Chosen One is en route home. A sighting of the target is confirmed. I will monitor the activity of the surrounding activity and report back when information is provided."

As he finished, he threw his jacket on over him and threw up the hood. Standing at the edge of the building, he leans back and plummets off of the roof. In a flash, he disappears, as if by magic. May turns around, looking one last time for the mysterious man, then returns to enjoying her company.

* * *

Delia Ketchum stared with a concerned look draped across her face out the window as she paced the floor. Her Mr. Mime swept in a corner, smiling as he continued his work sweeping up the dust in the house. Across the room, Professor Oak, esteemed Pokemon researcher and Ash's neighbor sat quietly, reading a case study sent to him by his son. "The Effect of Digletts on the Shoreline" lazily held in his hand, he looks up momentarily to notice Delia worriedly pacing the floor. "Delia, what seems to be the matter?" Oak asked lazily. Retirement had hit Oak hard, now that his grandson was controlling the Oak labs.

"He should be here by now, Professor. I am really starting to worry." Delia sighed.

"Now, dear, there is no need for concern. Ash has gone all over, and never once did you worry like this. He has Pikachu with him. He will have May with him. Everything will be fine." Oak smiled.

"I don't know what it is about tonight, but I have this really uneasy feeling. Like something is happening and I don't know about it."

Suddenly, as if on cue, a shout was heard outside. Peering out the window, Delia saw the silhouette of her son and May on the horizon. The moonlight lightly bounced off of May's bracelets, gleaming when they shook. Ash waved his hand at his mother, signaling that they were there.

"Oh, thank Arceus! They're here!" she cried with delight. Both she and Oak ran out to greet the two young trainers, arms outstretched for hugs.

**_BOOM_**!

Out of nowhere, a large explosion erupted between the two parties. Dark energy pulse outwards, knocking them back. Panicked, and confused, Ash called out to May, but the ringing in his ears prevented him from hearing.

Another explosion sent Ash even further back, as he reached to grab Pikachu to save him from the blast. Pikachu began to growl heavily, sparks flying from his cheeks. As Ash looked up just in time to see a sphere of dark energy explode on impact with the ground, just in front of him.

* * *

**Whale, Whale, Whale. That was an explosive ending. Who could be making the explosions. Why is Pikachu growling so fiercely? Is there something to this whole "bad feeling" of Ash's Mom? And just who is this Espy? Fin out in the next exciting installment of...**

**Champion Series: Gray!**


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